Ship propulsion



R. STEARNS SHIP PRoPULsIoN Filed July 2G, 1925 Aug. 25, 1925.

Patented Aug. 25, 1925.

`UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAY STEARNS, OF SCI-IENECTADY, NEW YO'RK, ASSIGNOR T0 GEIISTERAI`ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. i

SHIP PROIULSION.

Application led July 26, 1923. Serial No. 654,037.

To all whom t may concer/1i.'

Be it known that I, RAY STEARNS, a citizen of the United States,`residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ShipPropulsion, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to systems of electric ship propulsion and has forits object the provision of means whereby the operation of the ship maybe controlled from dilferent locations in a simple and reliable manner.

In controlling the operation of a ship it is desirable that both thecondition of the propulsive equipment and conditions eX- ternal to thevessel be taken into consideration. Control from the engine room is`advantageous in that the electrical equipment is under the directobservation of the oper- I ator who may take measures to protect it incase of emergency but is objectionable in that maneuvering orders mustbe communicated from the bridge or pilot house from whence conditionsexternal to the vessel may be readily observed, thus involving a certainamount of delay between the giving of a command and its execution andincreasing the liability of mistakes. from the pilot house, on the otherhand, is objectionable because of the fact that the operator must dependlargely on indicating instruments for his knowledge 'regarding` thecondition of the equipment and may fail or be unable to take propermeasures to protect the apparatus in case of an einen gency. I proposeto provide a system of control which makes it possible to control theoperation of the ship from the pilot house or any other desired locationunder normal operating conditions but which also provides for controlfrom the engine room in case of emergency, the arr'angementbeing suchthat the pilot house control equipment is rendered inoperative whencontrol from the engine room is initiated.

My invention will be better understood on reference to the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and'itsscope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawing; Fig. 1 shows a system of ship propulsionin which my invention has been embodied; and Fig.

2 shows an arrangement for interlocking p the various controllers bywhich the operation of the system is regulated;

Fig. 1 shows a steam turbine 1 provided' with ya governor 2 and adaptedto drive an alternating current generator 3 arranged to supply currentto a propeller motor 4 through reversing switches 5 and 6 which areprovided with operating coils 7 andy 8 the connections of which may becontrolled either by a controller 9 located in the pilot house or by acontroller 10 located in the engine room.` Suitable means are providedfor controlling the speed torque characteristie of the motor', thismeansbeing illustrated as a secondary resistor connected to the slip rings 11and having sections 13 and 14 adapted to be successively short circuited by switches 15 and 16 arranged to be operated in response to4energization of coils 17 and-18 respectively, the connections of whichto the source of current 19 may be regulated either' byr controller 2Oin the pilot house or by the controller 21 in the engine room. A segment22 is provided on the controller 21 for disconnecting the controller 2Ofrom the source oi current 19 when the controller 21 is moved from the yOff, position. Control A controller 23 is provided in the pilot housefor regulating the operation of the governor 2 the setting of whichdetermines the amount of steam admitted to the turbine 1. Cooperativelyassociatedwith the controller 23 is a follow-up device 24 provided withconductive segments 25 and 26 arranged to rotate with a shaft 27 uponwhich is mounted a gear 28 adapted to mesh with a gear 29` fixed to thelever 30 mounted upon a shaft 31. The following device 24 is arranged tocooperate with the controller 23 in regulating the connections betweenthe line 19 and a reversible motor 32 provided with oppositely woundfield coils 33 and 34 and having upon its shaft a worm 35 adapted tocooperate with a gear 36 mounted onfthe shaft. 31. The setting of thegovernor 2 and consequently the amount of steam ladmitted to the turbinel is determined by the position of the lever 30 which is connected tothe governor through the rod 37 and a'bell crank 38 pivoted at the point39. A member 40 pivoted at 41 and biased to the illustrated position bya spring 42 is mounted upon the lever 30 and is arranged to support Worm43, vgear 44' which may be made to mesh with the4` gear 36,' and a handwheel 45 i'or rotating the worm 43 in making line adjustments of thelgovernor by hand. A stop 46 is provided for arresting the motion or thelever 30 in the full speed position. As indicated in Fig. 2, thecontrollers 29, 9 and 23 are interlocked by bars 47 and 48 pivoted atpoints 49 andv 50 respectively, and adapted to cooperate with cams 9land 23 arranged to rotate with controllers'29, 9 and 23're`spectively.On the lever 47 is provided a latch 51 pivoted at 52 and biased to theposition sliovvn for a purpose to be Subsequently explained. A similarlatch 53 is' provided on the leve-r 4S'.

In starting the ship from rest inl the ahead direction by pilot houseorbridge cone trol, the lever 3() being in a position to admit minimumsteam to turbine l, the reversing controller 9 is moved to aheadposition, thev governor or steam controller is moved to the Min steamposition, and the resistance controller`20 is moved-to Res l positionthereby connecting the generator 3 to the motor 4. Under theseconditions the motor 4 is operated at low speed With the resistors 13and 14 connected in its second'- ary circuit. The controller 2O may nowbe snccessively moved tothe"Re's. 2 and Res out positions thereby" shortcii'euitingthe resistors 13 and? l4ia'nd increasing the speed or themotor 4.- Inraising the propeller speed to a value' siiitable formaneuvering theship, the controller 23 maybe m'ovcdi to the Mediuin'steam position concurrently With operationof the controller 2O therebyestablishing'a circuit to the field Winding 33 oi the pilot motor 32froml the line 19 through interlock' 54 mounted on the gear 36,segmentsand 59 of theV controller 23 and segn'ient 26 or the follow-updevice 24. Since opposite brushes of the motor 32 areA nowconnected tothe ground and a terminal of the lieldwvinding 33 respectively, thepilot motor 32 isy caused to rotate iii a clockwise direction, forexample7 thus imparting counter-clockwise motion to the lever 30 andgradually changing the setting of the go'vernor 2 and increasing theamount of steam admitted to the turbine l. Then the lever 30 has movedto the Medium steam or maneuvering' position'at which 254to 60 per centorfullisteam is admitted to the turbine l, depending on the character ofthe ship,V

full steam position thereby,Y connecting the motor 32 tothe line 19through its segment 58 andv otherwise as indicated in connection Withthe Mediunr steam position. Under these conditions' the speed or theturbine l is gradually increased until the control circuit isbroken atsegment 26 oi the 'follow-up device 24 in its upper or lull steamposition. At any position intermediate Medimn steam and F ull steam,movement or the lever 30 may be arrested by returning the controller 23to Hold position.

The process of lowering the sl eed or the ship from full speed ahead isthe reverse oit that just described and is accomplished throughmanipulation of the controller which during reverse movement from itsFull steam position connects the iield Winding' 34 or the motor 32 tothe line 19 through segment 25 or the 'follow-up device 24 and otherwiseas Will be apparent from what has been said in the preceding paragraphregarding operation of the controller The controllers 20, 9 and areinterlocked to permit the sequence of operation described above as willbe obvious from Fig. 2. Thus, assuming these controllers to be operatedfrom rest in a counter-clockwise direction, controller 20 can only bemoved from tl' position ivhen controller 9 is Vin itsfAhe'ad or Backposition, controller 9 can be moved to Oli position only 'whencontroller20 is'in Off position, controller 23 can be turned from its'Off position only when controller 2O is in Ott position except byraising' latch 53,' controller 23 can be advanced fromits Medium steamposition only when controller 2O is in its les. out position except byraising latch 5l, controller 23 can be moved through its Mia steamposition to Off position only when controller 20 is in Oil position andcontroller 2O cannot be moved when controller 23 is in a position in advance o'l Medium steam. These. interlocks thus prevent connection oitthe motor to the generator when the turbine is operating at 'lull speedand furthermore preclude operation oit the reversing sivitches when themotor is loaded.

It' at any tiine during operation or the ship .from the pilot house itdesired to control the governor 2 from the engine room, the lever 30 isoperated by hand thereby disengagin the gear 44 :trom the gear 36 andoperating the interlock 54 to break the circuit interconnecting thecontroller 32 With the line 19, operation or the interlock 54 beingaccomplished through a rod 60 and a member 61 pivoted at point 62 on anextension o'f thelever 30. The interlock 54' is arranged in any Wellknown manner to remain open until closed by hand. Lilie- Wise, if it isdesired to control the adjustment of therlieo'stat and the connectionsof llll the motor 4 tc thegenerator 8 from the engine room, movement ofcontroller 91 from the Dit position operates the interlock 22 therebyrendering the pilot house control equipment ineffective. i

While I have. described the principle of my invention, together with theapparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof,I desire to have it understood that the apparatus is only illustrativeand that the invention can be carried out by other means.

IVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited Statcs,is:

l. A system of electric ship propulsion wherein an electric generatordriven by a prime mover having its speed controlled by a governor isarranged 'to supply current to apropeller motor provided with means torregulating its speed, torque characteristic, comprising remote controlmeans, and control means independent, of said remote control means, eachof said means being arranged to control the setting of said governor andthe adjustment of the speed torque characteristic of said motor trom adifferent part of the ship.

2. A system of electric ship propulsion wherein an alternating currentgenerator driven by a prime mover having its speed controlled by agovernor is arranged to supply current to a propeller motor pr videdwith an adjustable rheostat connected to its secondary circuit forregulating its speed comprisingremote control means, and control meansindependent ot said remote control means, each of said means beingarranged to control the setting of said governor and the adjustment ofsaid rheostat from a different part of the ship, and interlocking meansfor rendering said remote control means inoperative duringthe operationof said independent control means.

3. A system of electric ship propulsion wherein an alternating currentgenerator driven by a prime mover having its speed controlled by agovernor is arranged to sup-- ply current to a propeller motor providedwith an adjustable rheostat connected to its secondary circuit forregulating its speed comprising remote control means, and control meansindependent of said remote control means, each of said means beingarranged to control the connection of said generator to said motor andthe setting of said governor from a different part of the ship, andinterlocking means for rendering said remote control means inoperativedur: ing the operation of said independent control means,

4. A system of electric ship propulsion wherein an alternating currentgenerator driven by a prime mover having its speed controlled by agovernor is arranged to sup ply current to a propeller motor providedwith an adjustable rheostat connected to itssecondary circuit forregulating its speed comprising remote control means, and conltrol meansindependent oft said remote conof said means being arranged to controlthe' setting of said governor from a different place in the ship, andmeans operable in re` sponse to movement of said direct control meansfor rendering said remote control means inoperative during the operationof said direct control means.

6. A system of electric ship propulsion wherein an electric generatordriven by a prime mover having its speed controlled by a governor isarranged to supply current to a propeller motor provided with an adjustwable rheostat for regulating its speed comprising remote control meansincluding a controller for regulating the setting of said governor andcontrollers for regulating the adjustment of said rheostat and reversingthe phase rotation between said generator and said motor, and means forlocking said resistance controller against movement when said kreversingcontroller is in any inoperative position and whenl said governorcontroller is in a position to admit an amount of steam in excess ofthat suitable for maneuvering the ship.

7. A system of electric ship propulsion wherein an electric generatordriven by a prime mover having its speed controlled by a governor isarranged to supply current to a propeller motor provided with anadjustable rheostat for regulating its speed Comprising remote controlmeans including a controller for regulating the setting oil saidgovernor and controllers for regulating the adjustment of said rheostatand reversing the phase rotation between said generator and said motor,means for locking said governor controller against movement from its ottposition to maneuvering position when said resistance controller is in aposition to introduce said resistor into the secondary circuit of saidmotor, and means for rendering said locking means inoperative.

8. A system of electric ship propulsion wherein an electric generatordriven by a prime mover having its speed controlled by a governor isarranged to supply current to a propeller motor provided with an'adjustable rheostat for regulating its speed eomprising remote Controlmeans including a controller for regulatii'ig the setting of' saidgovernor and eontrollers'lor regulating" the adjustment of said rheostatand reversing the phase rotation between said generator and said motor,and means for looking said resistance controller against movement from"its 0H' position when said governor controller is in a position to admitan amount of steam in excess or' that suitable for maneuvering the ship.

9. A system of eleetrie ship propulsion wherein an electric generatordriven by a prime mover having its speed Controlled by a governor 1Sarranged to supply current t0 a propeller' motor providedA with anadjustable rheostat for regulating its speed comprising remote controlmeans including a controller for regulating the setting of said governorand controllers for regulating the adjustment of said rheostat andreversing the phase rotation between said generator and said motor7means for looking said governor controller against movement to its ofiposition when said resistance and reversing Controller is in anyoperative position, eontrol means loeated in a different part of theship lrom and independent of said remote control means for regulatingthe setting ol? said governor and the Connection of said generator tosaid motor and the adjustment of said rlieostat, and means for renderingsaid remote control means inoperative when said independent eontrolmeans is in any operative position.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this th day of July1923.

RAY STEARNS;

